The course aims to provide the fundamental historical-critical and methodological tools for the analysis of literary texts both in prose and verse, in order to allow the student to acquire appropriate knowledge and specific skills regarding peculiar aspects of the discipline, such as metrics, rhetoric, stylistics, linguistic analysis and identification of literary sources.

The course will deal with lyric and narrative poetry through the analysis of a selection of texts from Francesco Petrarca's Rerum vulgarium fragmenta and Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso. A brief overview will be dedicated to the biography and works of the authors, then the course will provide basic tools for the correct analysis of the poetic text in all its formal aspects (prosody, metric, stylistic and rhetoric) and content (paraphrase, linguistic analysis), as well as the identification of the literary sources. To support the textual analysis, in addition to traditional bibliography, the most recent and updated online resources related to digital humanities will be used.

Students will acquire fundamental knowledge of some authors and texts of Italian literature selected by the teacher. They will be able to understand, analyze and interpret a text; they will also develop argumentative skills, study methodology as well as ability to formulate their own judgments.

At the end of the course, students are expected to have acquired:

Knowledge and understanding

- knowledge of the main formal aspects of the literary text, both in poetry and prose, with particular reference to both the main authors and the different genres, and, finally, to the main classical and vernacular models;

- ability to orient themselves critically in the study of literature from synchronic and diachronic point of view.

Applied knowledge and understanding

- knowledge and understanding of the specific characteristics of major works and issues relating to both prose and poetry;

- ability to understand texts through in-depth and detailed textual analysis (paraphrase, linguistic commentary, stylistic and metric).

Autonomy of judgment

- ability to acquire skills in textual analysis that enable the development of independent judgments.

Communication skills

- ability to communicate clearly and comprehensively the skills acquired in the field of Italian literature;

- ability to argue issues and problems in this specific discipline by using appropriate language.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

In addition to the lessons held by the teacher, there might be lessons given by guest lecturers, in the historical-critical and literary field, around subjects related to the course or close to it. 

Teaching

Classes, seminars. Students may be required to read during the course in order to attend some lessons with proper preparation.

Tutorial classes.

The course provides 12 additional hours of voluntary attendance, during which students will be supported in preparing the main examination topics with tutorials devoted to the more technical aspects of the discipline (Italian metrics, rhetoric, understanding ancient poetic language).

Innovative teaching methods

Attendance

Compulsory attendance for the 80% of the classes hours amount (29 hours over 36).

Course books

In addition to the materials used during the classes, students are required to study:

1.     Main rules of Italian prosody and the following metrical forms: sonnet, canzone, ballad, sestina, ottava. Suggested readings: G. LAVEZZI, I numeri della poesia. Guida alla metrica italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2016; F. BAUSI-M. MARTELLI, La metrica italiana. Teoria e storia, Firenze, Le Lettere, 1996.

2.     Four sonnets (or ballads) and one canzone from Rerum vulgarium fragmenta by Petrarca chosen from: 2, 3, 23, 29, 34, 35, 36, 40, 55, 61, 81, 90, 126, 128, 129, 134, 136, 137, 138, 159, 176, 187, 189, 197, 226, 234, 263, 264, 267, 268, 272, 299, 300, 302, 310, 333, 365, 366. Suggested edition: F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, edizione commentata a cura di Marco Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, 1996 [available at the Library San Girolamo].

3.     One canto from the Orlando furioso by Ariosto chosen from: IV, VI, IX, XII, XIII, XVIII-XIX, XXIII, XXVI, XXIX, XXX, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVI, XLII. Suggested edition: L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, introduzione e commento di Emilio Bigi, a cura di Cristina Zampese, Milano, BUR Rizzoli, 2022 [available at the Library San Girolamo].

4.     E. FENZI, Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2008, pp. 9-85 [available at the Library San Girolamo].

5.     N. TONELLI, Leggere il 'Canzoniere', Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017, chapters 1 and 6.

6.     S. ZATTI, Leggere l’‘Orlando furioso’, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016, chapters 5 and 9.

Assessment

Oral examination. This choice was made in order to enhance the oral argumentative skills of individual students in relation to a highly technical discipline and which requires the possession of a specific lexicon.

"Excellent" mark: the student must show possession of good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to orient with sure mastery of the subject within the main themes covered during the lesson, also establishing, if necessary, links between different fields and themes of the discipline; outstanding ability to use the technical lexicon of discipline.

"Good" mark: the student must demonstrate possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the main contents of the discipline; minimal critical and linking capacity between the main themes of the discipline with the use of the appropriate lexicon.

"Sufficient" mark: the student must demonstrate minimal knowledge of the fundamentals of the discipline, even if there are some educational gaps, as well as the use of language that is not entirely appropriate.

"Negative" mark: difficulty of orientation of the student with respect to the topics dealt with in the exam; training gaps; the use of inappropriate language and/or the inability to use the technical lexicon of the discipline.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Self-directed learning.

Course books

1.   Main rules of Italian prosody and the following metrical forms: sonnet, canzone, ballad, sestina, ottava. Suggested readings: G. LAVEZZI, I numeri della poesia. Guida alla metrica italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2016; F. BAUSI-M. MARTELLI, La metrica italiana. Teoria e storia, Firenze, Le Lettere, 1996.

2.   Eight sonnets (or ballads) and two canzoni from Rerum vulgarium fragmenta by Petrarca chosen from: 1, 2, 3, 23, 29, 34, 35, 36, 40, 50, 55, 61, 70, 81, 90, 126, 128, 129, 134, 136, 137, 138, 142, 145, 159, 176, 187, 189, 197, 221, 226, 234, 263, 264, 267, 268, 272, 299, 300, 302, 310, 333, 365, 366. Suggested edition: F. Petrarca, Canzoniere, edizione commentata a cura di Marco Santagata, Milano, Mondadori, 1996 [available at the Library San Girolamo].

3.  One canto from the Orlando furioso by Ariosto chosen from: I, IV, VI, IX, XII, XIII, XVIII-XIX, XXIII, XXVI, XXIX, XXX, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVI. Suggested edition: L. Ariosto, Orlando furioso, introduzione e commento di Emilio Bigi, a cura di Cristina Zampese, Milano, BUR Rizzoli, 2022 [available at the Library San Girolamo].

4.  E. FENZI, Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2008, pp. 9-85 [available at the Library San Girolamo].

5. N. TONELLI, Leggere il 'Canzoniere', Bologna, Il Mulino, 2017, chapters 1, 6 and 7.  

6. G. ALFANO, P. ITALIA, E. RUSSO, F. TOMASI, Letteratura italiana. Dalle origini al metà Cinquecento. Manuale per studi universitari, Milano, Mondadori Università, 2018, pp. 512-546 (Ludovico Ariosto) [available at the Library San Girolamo].

7.  S. ZATTI, Leggere l’‘Orlando furioso’, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2016, chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Assessment

Oral examination. This choice was made in order to enhance the oral argumentative skills of individual students in relation to a highly technical discipline and which requires the possession of a specific lexicon.

"Excellent" mark: the student must show possession of good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to orient with sure mastery of the subject within the main themes covered during the lesson, also establishing, if necessary, links between different fields and themes of the discipline; outstanding ability to use the technical lexicon of discipline.

"Good" mark: the student must demonstrate possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the main contents of the discipline; minimal critical and linking capacity between the main themes of the discipline with the use of the appropriate lexicon.

"Sufficient" mark: the student must demonstrate minimal knowledge of the fundamentals of the discipline, even if there are some educational gaps, as well as the use of language that is not entirely appropriate.

"Negative" mark: difficulty of orientation of the student with respect to the topics dealt with in the exam; training gaps; the use of inappropriate language and/or the inability to use the technical lexicon of the discipline.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Further readings (not compulsory):

P. CHIESA, Troppa grazia. Cercare le fonti oggi, in ID., Venticinque lezioni di filologia mediolatina, Firenze, Sismel-Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2016, pp. 14-26.

L. CHINES-C. VAROTTI, Che cos’è un testo letterario. Nuova edizione, Roma Carocci, 2023.

M. SANTAGATA, Per moderne carte. La biblioteca volgare di Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1990.

M. SANTAGATA, I frammenti dell’anima. Storia e racconto nel ‘Canzoniere’ di Petrarca, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1992.

N. TONELLI, «Per queste orme», Studi sul ‘Canzoniere’ di Petrarca, Pisa, Pacini, 2016.

Lessico critico dell’‘Orlando furioso’, a cura di A. Izzo, Roma, Carocci, 2016.

L’‘Orlando furioso’ oltre i cinquecento anni. Nuove prospettive di lettura, a cura di Ch. Rivoletti, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2022.